Better with time
by CSIfreak4ever
Summary: A case brings back bad memories for one CSI. Can she be helped?


A/n- wow it's been a long time since I've written a fic. I hope you still remember me!Aand I hope you all enjoy my new fic…of course it is a GSR fic. Enjoy!

Their latest case began when a patrolling officer picked up a small girl in bloody pyjamas, walking aimlessly, on the side of the street. After interviewing the girl the crime scene investigators learned that her father was dead in her house with several knife wounds to his chest. She directed them to her house where they could begin assessing the crime scene.

The police took the mother in custody while the child stayed at the lab so she could be examined. Grissom had assigned Sara to examine the girl and collect her clothing as evidence.

"Okay, Ally, can you tell where you were going when you left your house last night?" Sara asked after changing the small child, Ally, into a set of scrubs much to big for her. Although Sara thought she could get more out of the girl alone, the social services woman insisted she be there for the entire interrogation.

"I don't know."

"Okay, did you see what happened at your house…to your dad." Ally paused for a long moment before nodding allowing no tears to fall from her face. She had just witnessed her father get stabbed to death and she sat there looking at Sara like a rock. She had no legible expression on her face. But this child was smart. She surprised Sara in reminding her of how she used to be.

"Do you think you can tell me?" Sara had to use every bit of energy she had to hold her tears back. She knew Grissom was behind the glass watching the interview and she would not reveal her feelings or emotions to him.

"Daddy came home from work and he was drunk. He started yelling at me and then he hit me. Mommy saw and she got really mad and she yelled at him. Then he hit her in the face. She took the knife and stabbed him, a lot of times." Ally sat there emotionless making Sara want to cry even more for the poor girl.

"Then what happened?"

"Mommy started yelling at me. She blamed the whole thing on me." Still no emotion.

"She just sat on the floor yelling at me to leave so I did. Look Ms. Sidle, I don't mean to be rude but you have no idea what went on in that house on a regular basis. My dad came home drunk all the time. The only reason it's different now is because my mother killed him. I know she is going to jail and I also know that I am going to be sent to a foster home so if there is another piece of this puzzle I'm missing please let me know." With that, the girl stood indicating to the social services lady that she wanted to leave. Sara just sat as the young prodigy was taken out of the room.

She was only reminded more of her past when this case had begun. She had been in the exact situation as Ally and she knew how the young girl felt. Sara could only pray for the young girl to be safe and hoped she had some assurance that things would only get better with time.

It never got better with Sara. She still woke up it a cold sweat remembering how it happened. Her father came home drunk, hit Sara, and laughed at it. Sara cried and her mother came in. She stabbed him to death right in front of their young daughter and Sara knew for as long as she lived that she would remember that scene exactly. No matter how hard she tried she would never forget.

Sara was left in the room alone when she noticed the time. She hurried up and went to get her things. She hurried outside only to find it pouring rain and her car and the far end of the parking lot. She gave up and started to cry.

Tears still falling she slowly walked to her, allowing the rain to soak her completely. Grissom ran outside and called out to her,

"Sara!" She didn't answer. "Sara!" Still, she did not turn around. He ran out to her just as she reached her car. She froze, back facing the man she couldn't look at without melting at his feet. He took her shoulder and slowly turned her around seeing the tears falling from her face. She opened her mouth to speak but he held his finger to her lips,

"I know Sara, I know." Her mouth was still open when she let out a loud cry. The sound pierced Grissom's heart. Sara Sidle was damaged, he knew that, and she had no one to depend, ever. She has been alone her whole life. Mother killing her father when she was young forcing her to be placed in foster care until she turned eighteen. For all these years she kept her feelings bottled up inside, an unhealthy situation for anyone, and now she had to be reminded of it all over again with Ally.

Grissom was pulled out of his daze when he realised she was silently crying while his hands were on her two shoulders. He immediately pulled Sara's head into his chest and her body close to his. She was so vulnerable the way she gripped his shirt in her hands as if it was the only thing keeping her alive. Suddenly she went limp and fell to the ground taking Grissom with her.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She was yelling as she cried. Gil cupped her face firmly with his hands.

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about Sara. Please don't ever say sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry for never helping you." She sucked back air as fast as she could, still crying. She had no idea what was wring with her. How come all of a sudden she could get this close to someone? Why did this one man have that affect on her? She looked into his blue eyes and knew he was sincere. He dragged her head to his chest and wrapped his arms around her protectively. He took one hand and stroked her hair gently as she calmed down. None of them cared that it was still raining because they both felt the warmth of each other and that was all they needed.

"Grissom?"

"Yes Sara?"

"Don't leave me alone tonight."

"Sara, honey, I am never going to leave you alone ever again." He kissed the top of her head and they both knew things would only get better from here.


End file.
